Stockport County took the points courtesy of a second half strike from Paddy Madden at the JobServe Community Stadium in a 2-1 win for the league leaders.
In a second home games in three days, Colchester United were looking to pick up some valuable points against league leaders Stockport.
In a well-contested affair, it was the visitors who took the lead through Nick Powell, who fired towards goal with an effort that Owen Goodman could not keep out with thirty one minutes on the clock.
But the U’s responded just before half-time. Arthur Read fizzed a curling corner into the box and it was Cameron McGeehan who met it deep, smashing his effort into the roof of the net.
Stockport thought they had a second early in the second half after they headed home from a free-kick, but the linesman’s flag was up and the goal was ruled out to the delight of the home crowd.
They did get their second soon after though through Paddy Madden, who finished off a good move from Stockport.
The U’s responded by winning a penalty but McGeehan could not level proceedings and saw his spot-kick saved.
The home side were doing what they could to find the net but Stockport were proving tough to break down.
And in the end they held on to take the three points back to the North of England.
Head coach Danny Cowley made two changes to the side that were narrowly defeated by Wrexham on Saturday, with Fiacre Kelleher and Noah Chilvers replacing Tom Dallison and Alistair Smith in the starting line-up.
Stockport arrived in North Essex knowing that they could clinch promotion to League One if they took all three points and other results went their way.
And the Hatters almost took the lead inside three minutes after Tanto Olaofe latched on to a ball over the top but could not poke his effort past Goodman, instead hitting the side netting.
The Colchester keeper was in action again a few minutes later, standing tall to put Paddy Madden’s close-range effort behind for a corner.
Kelleher picked up an early yellow card for a late challenge in his own half, but Stockport were unable to do anything with the resulting free-kick.
The U’s first real break of the game came after some good work from Chilvers, who worked his way down the left-hand side before delivering a teasing cross that was headed behind for the home side’s first corner of the match.
Fraser Horsfall was next into Ben Atkinson’s book after committing a cynical foul on Joh Akin as Colchester looked to break.
Jay Mingi was proving to be a reliable man in defence, more than once tracking back to prevent a fast attack from the visitors.
At the other end, Akinde had a great chance after wrestling his way into the box, but his shot, from a tight angle, didn’t trouble Ben Hinchliffe too much in goal.
A few moments later, Stockport took the lead. Powell charged towards goal after receiving it from a corner and fired a curling effort towards goal that Goodman could not keep hold of.
There was a break in play as we approached half-time with Harry Anderson down and needing treatment. The winger was unable to continue and was replaced by Jayden Fevrier.
The substitution sparked the U’s into life and a series of set pieces resulted in an equaliser from the home side.
A dangerous corner in from Read was met at the back post by McGeehan to give the U’s a much-needed lifeline just before the break.
No changes were made by either side at half-time and the U’s emerged with purpose in their quest to survive the drop.
Stockport responded with a chance after Goodman palmed a cross only as far as Antoni Sarcervic but the number ten mistimed his volley and sent it into the stand holding the travelling fans.
Mingi found himself cautioned after diving in late outside the U’s box, but the Hatters wasted the resulting free-kick in a good position after several players strayed offside.
Stockport found themselves in an identical position moments later, this time they thought they had grabbed a second but the offside flag was up and the away fans were quickly silenced.
Read was inches away from scoring another screamer at the JobServe Community stadium on the sixty-minute mark but his effort fizzed away from goal and just past the post.
Mere seconds later, Stockport had another. A one-two was played through Mingi and Fevrier down the left and Ethan Bristow delivered a perfect cross for that was finished at the second attempt by Madden.
But the U’s responded well again and won a penalty after Chilvers was fouled in the box.
McGeehan stepped up but it was saved by Hinchliffe.
Cowley opted for changes at this point, bringing on Tom Dallison and Samson Tovide for Kelleher and Tom Hopper.
McGeehan picked up a booking after venting his frustrations on Ethan Pye and a couple of minutes later Smith entered the fray, replacing the Nothern Irishman.
Mingi was doing his best to drag the U’s towards a leveller, dancing through the midfield and being fouled by Powell, who was booked for his troubles.
Powell committed another late foul moments later but was not dismissed to the surprise of most people in the stadium.
Chilvers had a shot blocked on the edge of the box late on as the U’s pushed for a goal, but Stockport were holding firm in their defence.
Five minutes were added on but there was no way through for Colchester who slipped to defeat despite being well in the game.
Colchester XI: Goodman, Iandolo, Kelleher (Dallison, 69), Hall, Chilvers, McGeehan, Hopper (Tovide, 69), Read, Anderson (Fevrier, 40), Mingi, Akinde
Subs: Hornby, Allison, Tovide, Richardson, Smith, Fevrier, Ihionvien
Stockport XI: Hinchliffe. Knoll, Byrne, Horsfall, Madden (Wooton, 64), Sarcervic (Camps, 64), Powell, Pye, Bristow (Hippolyte, 76), Evans (Barry, 64), Olaofe (Bailey, 87)
Subs: Smith, Camps, Wooton, Barry, Hippolyte, Richards, Bailey
